Gas-producer.



PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904.4

J. G. sANDBRsoN.

GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION Hmm JAN. a1, 1900.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

3 0 ad 2 3 9u 2 2 2 m: News mens no., morgurno. wAsnmcmN. u ff UNITEDSTATES Patented March 29, 1904.

JAMES GARDNER SANDERSON, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

l GAS-PRODUCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,702, dated'March29, 1904. Application filed January 31, 1900. Serial No. 3,395. Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES GARDNER SAN- DERsoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsplan, be adapted for producing gas from larger sizes of coal, as willhereinafter appear.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction, whichwill be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- AFigure 1 is a vertical section of a complete apparatus embodying myinvention. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sections taken, respectively, onthe lines 2 2 and 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The apparatus comprises a water-tight ashpit 1, a fuel-chamber 2, risingfrom said pit, a pipe 3, projecting centrally from the pit andterminating in a conical grate 4 within the fuel-chamber, through whichair and steam are supplied to support combustion, a fuelsupply hopper 5,and a gas-outlet pipe 6.

The water-tight pit is preferably constructed of cement, with radialinclines 7, Figs. 2 and 3, for withdrawing ashes therefrom, and acentral elevation 8, through which the pipe 3 rises, having a beveledperiphery 8, whileJ surrounding said pipe above the elevation 8 is astar-shaped agitator`9, having a circular base 10, controlled by an arm11, which eX- tends outward and upward within reach above the pit fordisplacing the ash outward from the central velevation toward the pit,said agitator being supported by` ange 12 and retained against riding upby annular shoulder 13.

The conical grate 4, surmounting the pipe 3is preferably constructed ofrings 14, spaced apart by lugs or ribs 15, the whole being built up andsecured together by bolt 16, having a conical head 16a and extendingdownward through and provided with a nut beneath a cross-bar 17, asdescribed in my Letters Patent No. 561,729, issued June 9, 1896.

The wall of the fuel-chamber has a base 18, supported uponradially-disposed legs 19 and formed with a cylindrical apron 20,extending below the water-line in the pit 1, and a hori- Zontal iiange21, the latter providing a support and closure for the lower ends of anannular series of closely-arranged tubes 22, that constitutes acylindrical water-tube wall for the fuel-chamber. These tubes arearranged so as to have direct peripheral contact and provide acontinuous circumferential wall or rechamber into which the fuel is fed.The tubes 22 are likewise closed at top and are individually connectednear their respective upper and lower ends, through upper and lowerseries of short pipes 23 24, with an upper annular water or steamchamber 25 and a corresponding lower chamber 26. The annular chambers25' and 26 are suitably connected, through pipes 27 28, with suitablewater discharge and supply pipes. The cylindrical water-tube wall 22 isgirdled by strengthening-bands 29 and surrounded by non-conductingjacket 30, filling the interstices between the outer sides of the tubesand metallic sheathing 31. The top 32 of the fuel-chamber may be of anysuitable metallic construction. It supports the gas-Outlet 6 and may beprovided with manhole 33 and cover 34. K

The fuel-supply means will vary according to the condition of the fuelto be supplied. The construction shown is intended for very small coal,such as waste or culm, and comprises a hopper 35 with a chute 36,terminating in a flaring mouth 37 within the fuel-chamber, a feed-screw38 in the chute, mounted upon a shaft 39, having a suitable drivingconnection 40 without the hopper, and an agitator 41 on said shaft atthe mouth of the hopper to keep the fuel loosened up and permit itspassage into the chute. If it should be desired to feed fuel in coarsercondition, it will be desirable to use some different construction offuel-feed-such, for instance, as that described in my previous LettersPatent, No.

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jectof the various parts are as follows: The pit is filled with water toa level above the lower edge of the apron, and the bottom of theapparatus 4is filled with ash, waste fuel, or rubbish to a level abovethe water. Fire is then started on top of this bed in the usual manner,air being admitted through the air-pipe and grate. When combustion iswell established, the fuel-chamber is filled with fuel up to thedischarge end of the feed-chute. The hopper being supplied with finefuel, like anthracite culm, (which is pulverized coal, much of it beingpowder,) the vertical shaft carrying the feed-screw is revolved in thedirection to convey the fuel downward through the chute, and fuel iscontinuously and uniformly supplied to the fuel-chamber of thegas-producer, the quantity of fuel so supplied being regulated by thespeed of the feed-screw. The chute being always filled with the finefuel prevents the escape of gas therethrough, but compels all the gas topass out through the intended outlet.

The peculiar construction of the cylindrical water-tube wall of thegas-producer permits the replacing of any damaged portion thereofwithout the destruction of the entire structure. The heated water fromthe upper charnber may be conducted to a steam-boiler for furnishingsteam used in the manufacture of gas or for other purposes. Ascombustion proceeds and ash accumulates in the lower portion of thefuel-chamber it may be removed from around the walls of the chamber byraking out from underneath the apron into the pit, the agitator beingemployed to loosen it up and shove it to the outer portion of thechamber. It will be observed that the base, grate, and ash-pit of thisproducer are very simple and substantial in construction, with but onemoving part, and that below the line of combustion and water-level.

The walls of the pit and base of the producer are preferably composed ofPortlandcement concrete, the air-pipe being embedded in the concrete.The legs of the base offer little obstruction to the removal of ash fromthe interior of the producer. The hand-holes which are provided in theapron afford opportunity for reaching the interior above the water-levelin case of necessity, such as to break up an accumulation of clinker,&c. The ash is finally removed from the pit by way of the radialinclines, as already set forth. l have shown two of these inclines inthe accompanying drawings; but one or more than two may be employed.

lHaving thus described my invention, the following is what I claim asnew therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A gas-producer comprising a fuel-chamber having a continuous wallformed of a series of circumferentially-arranged individual water-tubeslocated in direct contact with each other and provided with passages forthe ingress and egress -of water therefrom, and bands encircling andimpinging against the wall for holding the tubes in place.

2. A gas-producer comprising a fuel-chamber having a continuous wallformed of a series of circumferentially-arranged individual Water-tubeslocated in direct contact with each other and provided with passages forthe ingress and egress of water therefrom, a metallic sheathingsurrounding the fuel-chamber and a non-conducting jacket located betweenthe water-tubes' and the sheathing.

3. A gas-producer comprising a fuel-chamber having a continuous wallformed of a series of circumferentially-arranged individual water-tubeslocated in direct contact with each other and provided with passages forthe ingress and egress of water therefrom, bands encircling andimpinging against the wall for holding the tubes in place, a metallicsheathing surrounding the fuel-chamber and a nonconducting jacketlocated between the watertubes and the sheathing.

4. A gas-producer comprising a fuel-chamber having a continuous wallformed of a series of circumferentially-arranged individual water-tubeslocated in direct contact with each other and each tube providedwithasmalltube at the bottom and a small tube at the top thereofvfor theingress and egress of water therefrom, lower and upper annularwaterchambers with which the small tubes are in- JAMES GARDNERSANDERSON.

Witnesses:

HERBERT L. TAYLOR, J. B. DoWD.

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